The present invention relates to animations. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for designing animatronics units based upon articulated computer generated characters.
Throughout the years, movie makers have often tried to tell stories involving make-believe creatures, far away places, and fantastic things. To do so, they have often relied on animation techniques to bring the make-believe to “life.” Two of the major paths in animation have traditionally included, drawing-based animation techniques and stop motion animation techniques.
Drawing-based animation techniques were refined in the twentieth century, by movie makers such as Walt Disney and used in movies such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) and “Fantasia” (1940). This animation technique typically required artists to hand-draw (or paint) animated images onto a transparent media or cels. After painting, each cel would then be captured or recorded onto film as one or more frames in a movie.
Stop motion-based animation techniques typically required the construction of miniature sets, props, and characters. The filmmakers would construct the sets, add props, and position the miniature characters in a pose. After the animator was happy with how everything was arranged, one or more frames of film would be taken of that specific arrangement. Stop motion animation techniques were developed by movie makers such as Willis O'Brien for movies such as “King Kong” (1933). Subsequently, these techniques were refined by animators such as Ray Harryhausen for movies including “Mighty Joe Young” (1948) and Clash Of The Titans (1981).
With the wide-spread availability of computers in the later part of the twentieth century, animators began to rely upon computers to assist in the animation process. This included using computers to facilitate drawing-based animation, for example, by painting images, by generating in-between images (“tweening”), and the like. This also included using computers to augment stop motion animation techniques. For example, physical models could be represented by virtual models in computer memory, and manipulated.
One of the pioneering companies in the computer generated imagery (CGI) industry was Pixar. Pixar is more widely known as Pixar Animation Studios, the creators of animated features such as “Toy Story” (1995) and “Toy Story 2” (1999), “A Bugs Life” (1998), “Monsters, Inc.” (2001), “Finding Nemo” (2003), “The Incredibles” (2004), “Cars” (2006), “Ratatouille” (2007). In addition to creating animated features, Pixar developed computing platforms specially designed for CGI, and CGI software now known as RenderMan®. The RenderMan® software included a “rendering engine” that “rendered” or converted geometric and/or mathematical descriptions of animated objects or characters into a two dimensional image. RenderMan® was well received in the animation industry and recognized with two Academy Awards®.
The inventors of the present invention now desire to extend the reach of its animated characters beyond two-dimension images and into the third-dimension (e.g. the physical world). To do this, the inventors have devised methods for constructing and controlling of physical versions (e.g. electrically, mechanically, pneumatically, and/or hydraulically controlled devices) of animated characters appearing in various features.
The use of physical, mechanical devices for live entertainment purposes was pioneered by The Walt Disney Company and is now often referred to in the industry as “animatronics.” Animatronics characters or units have been previously used in well-known theme park attractions (e.g. performances, rides), such as the Pirates of the Caribbean, Enchanted Tiki Room, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and many others. Pirates of the Caribbean, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln are trademarks or registered trademarks of Disney Enterprises, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
A problem recognized by the inventors is that because animatronics units are used for specific purposes, the hardware cannot be purchased off-the-shelf, and must often be custom-built. A major challenge recognized by the inventors is how to specify and build an animatronics unit that can move in the ways recognized by an audience. More specifically, a problem is how to build and control an animatronics characters that can more faithfully represent the animation of the characters in the feature, movie, short, etc., than is currently possible.
It is believed that animation data from a computer generated (CG) character has never been used to help specify the construction of an animatronics characters. Further, it is believed that animation data from a CG character has never been used to control such animatronics characters.
In light of the above, what is desired are methods and apparatus for solving the challenges described above.